Over the last few years Educational LARPing (LARP=Life Action Role Play) and simulation approaches increasingly grab more attention in the non-formal and formal education field. The approaches proofed to be effective and esp. productive in educational topics that need empathy, awareness and self-reflection. The educational LARP method incorporates some techniques of education through art-methods like the role-play, the improvisation theatre and theatre of the oppressed as well. Many other educational approaches that aim to tackle stereotypes, prejudice and bias are failing to reach their goals due to the lack of focus raising empathy and self-reflection capabilities of their learners. Mainly because the pedagogy against populist, racist and antidemocratic attitudes and behaviour need to interact with their learners on a personal level and cannot just focus on knowledge transfer and cognitive procedures. LARP has proven that its merits consist especially on the emotional and self-reflective capacities of the method. In this strategic partnership project we are involving five partners form four different European countries that are working with this methods for a good practice exchange. Five partner-meetings and three joint staff trainings will set up an extensive opportunity for the staff of the organisations. Though EduLARP is considerably a new method for many educational institutions and therefore extensive exchange and sharing experiences and best practices are still needed. There is a strong need to exchange experience and learn from each other concerning digital formats of the art- and cultural related educational approaches. This project aims to create a space for knowledge transfer, to experience digital formats and their didactic techniques and to exchange ideas for the digitalisation of methods as well as new development. The primary target group for the project are the staff members of our organisations that are working with experience-based cultural and art related learning approaches, especially LARP and simulation. During the project we will especially focus on the topics inclusion-exclusion, diversity and discrimination that are especially addressable by experience-based learning approaches. Many educational institutions - esp. in the non-formal field - are aware of this advantage and consider this approaches as a chance in the actual social and political situation in a lot of European societies. Polarized and stereotyped society discourses forced by populist political movements and the natural defence-psychology of people against accusations making authentic experience necessary. EduLARPs can be used to work on this topics and they have the advantage that they can be used with target groups of all sectors and milieus and they can be applied in digital and non-digital formats.
The primary goal of implementing this project was to enhance and expand the facilitating skills and capabilities of the participating staff and organizations. This was achieved through the exchange of best practices in the realms of Edularping, artistic, and theatrical methodologies, both for in-person and online educational activities. By actively engaging with these innovative, experience-based educational approaches, we aimed to assess their effectiveness, identify areas for enhancement, and tailor them to the distinct requirements of diverse target audiences. Through this effort, our consortium was given new opportunities to address social inclusion, equality, diversity, and democratic values education. Additionally, the project was a platform for experimenting with pedagogical techniques, exploring digital formats, and fostering ideas for refinement. Although the primary focus of the best practice methods was on adult learner groups, the project embraced a comprehensive approach, incorporating educational methods suitable for various age groups. As the project progressed, we proactively incorporated some of these methods into our non-formal educational initiatives, effectively leveraging skills, insights, and expertise.
The title "If I were in your shoes" already shows the possible impact of Educational Life Action Role Play Games (EduLarps) and artistic & theatre related educational approaches and methods on learners in non-formal learning processes by trying out different roles allows experiences and perspectives that are complementary to those in everyday life. EduLarps and theatre related methods offer the opportunity to design a holistic learning process including self-reflection and raising empathy as important steps to fight stereotypes, discrimination and anti-democratic attitudes. In our time of strong right-wing populist movements, loss of democratic values, growing racism and xenophobia, there is a strong need of pedagogical approaches, which go beyond knowledge transfer and cognitive procedures and give concrete starting points how the learners themselves can contribute to an inclusive society. Through EduLarps are considerably a new field in educational work, there is a strong need of best-practice exchange and sharing of skills, knowledge and experiences. In addition the Corona pandemic situation brought up questions of power- & meaningful digital EduLarps more urgently, these need has also been met by our project.